Category Archives: Trade Talks

【News】 Senior U.S. Congressmen express reservations over TPP agreement (Oct. 2, 2015)

  Takanori Okabe – Atlanta As the ministers of the member nations of the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade talks meet in Atlanta with hopes of reaching an agreement, two senior U.S. Congressmen said that even if a TPP deal is concluded, they would not support it if it falls short of Congress’ expectations. They urged negotiators to realize an agreement which benefits the U.S. workers and businesses, apparently pressuring them not to make concessions regarding such thorny issues as the period of patent protection for next-generation biotech drugs and access to dairy markets. Increasing pressure by Congress could make the U.S. government act more harshly in the ministerial meetings. “No one … Continue reading

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【News】 Farmers rally against expansion of rice imports (Sept. 30, 2015)

Some 250 farmers from across the nation gathered in Tokyo on Tuesday, Sept. 29, to rally against the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade talks, calling on the government to keep the Diet resolutions which pledge to protect key farm items. Headed by two tractors, the farmers paraded about 2 km from Hibiya Park to the Diet, carrying banners and mikoshi portable shrine made of straw sacks filled with rice. They called out: “Protect rice!” “Withdraw from TPP!” The demonstration was hosted by four farmers’ organizations including Japan Family Farmers Movement. After the rally, they met with a farm ministry official and urged the government not to expand rice imports, as reported to … Continue reading

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【News】 Japan agricultural co-ops group delegation to make last-minute call on TPP talks (Sept. 26, 2015)

  The Japan agricultural co-operatives (JA) group plans to send a delegation to Atlanta, where member nations of the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade initiative are scheduled to hold a ministerial meeting starting Wednesday, Sept. 30. The delegation, to be headed by Choe Okuno, president of the Central Union of Agricultural Co-operatives (JA-Zenchu), will call on the Japanese government to protect key farm items in line with the Diet resolutions. The group made the decision at a committee meeting on Friday, Sept. 25, along with its policy to also lobby lawmakers domestically in each prefecture. JA-Zenchu officials pointed out that the prospects of the TPP negotiations remain unclear, as there have been … Continue reading

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【Editorial】 After security laws comes TPP (Sept. 26, 2015)

  Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held a press conference on Friday, Sept. 25, ahead of the closing of the Diet session two days after, and reaffirmed the significance of the security legislation which was passed in the Diet after heated arguments. Various challenges for the future were left in the Diet session, where many important bills were passed, including the one to revise the Agricultural Co-operative Society Law. Abe is scheduled to visit the United States starting Saturday, Sept. 26. Farmers are worried that his next target after the security laws would be to forcibly conclude the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade talks. We strongly call on the government to follow the … Continue reading

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【Editorial】 Doubts remain over revised agricultural co-ops law (Aug. 29, 2015)

  The revised Agricultural Co-operative Society Law was passed in the Diet, marking a major shift in the structure of farm co-ops. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s administration regarded the bill as an important step to turn agriculture into a growth industry. We have pointed out numerous doubts and concerns over the objectives, contents and the impact of the revision, but they were never solved in the Diet deliberations. Farmer members of agricultural co-ops, or JAs, have not fully understood nor are fully convinced of how the law would be revised. We urge the government to continue revising the law so that it truly supports the JA group’s self-reform efforts and … Continue reading

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